• Home
  • Weekend Walks
  • Private Tours
  • Corporate Walks
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Writing
  • Things Are Afoot
Bowl Of Chalk - London Walking Tours

Things Are Afoot

Monopoly Guide to London for Tourists - #02: Whitechapel Road

13/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Where is it?

Whitechapel Road is in the borough of Tower Hamlets and runs east from Aldgate, once the eastern gate out of the City of London, eventually becoming Mile End Road. The area is generally referred to as the East End.

What’s the Story?

The area of Whitechapel, and the road included on the Monopoly board gets its name from an ancient church which once stood just south of the Whitechapel Road, but was badly damaged during WWII, later demolished and is now the site occupied by Altab Ali Park. 

Historically, east London has been a poorer cousin to west London which coupled with its proximity to the docks lead to it becoming a migrant area; French Huguenots in the 17th century and Jewish immigrants in the 19th and early 20th century. More recently it became a Bangladeshi area. Whitechapel however, will be forever associated with the Jack The ripper murders which took place in and around the area in 1888.

In recent times, Brick Lane, which runs north, on a site occupied by the Truman Brewery, has been gentrified, and on Sundays when the markets are in full swing, it’s a hot spot for hipsters. It is also festooned with street art. 

How do I get there?

Whitechapel Road and Whitechapel High Street are dotted with tube stations including Aldgate, Aldgate east and Whitechapel. Just north in trendy Shoreditch there’s an Overground station as well as an Underground and mainline station at Liverpool Street. 

What’s it like now?

Like a lot of London, there’s a great deal of development going on and the rough edges often associated with Whitechapel are, for better or worse being gradually filed down. It sits within one of the two poorest areas of London, but within the same borough is Canary Wharf, the second big financial hub, so again, as with much of the city, an interesting dichotomy of people living together. Whitechapel is incredibly diverse with a large Muslim population and Bangladeshi community, which you’ll certainly get a feel for around the markets on Whitechapel Road and the familiar waft from the numerous curry houses. 


Where should I stay?

Like Old Kent Road, it’s unlikely you’d want to stay on Whitechapel Road itself (although not beyond the realms of possibility), but more likely in one of the numerous hotels popping up in and around Hoxton and Shoreditch (just north) or near to the Tower of London to the south. 
Picture
What’s of interest?

Whitechapel

Whitechapel Road itself might not be a No.1 priority for visitors to London, but has far more going for it than the previous Old Kent Road and a host of things to see and do within a stone’s throw. 

For culture vultures, just at the south end of Brick Lane on Whitechapel High Street you’ll find the Whitechapel Gallery, a contemporary art gallery which has been premiering world class international artists for well over 100 years and is a key part of London’s cultural landscape. 

A short walk further east you’ll pass the monumental east London Mosque which I visited a number of years ago and the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which ceased trading in 2017 but had been making bells in Whitechapel since 1570. They not only cast the famous ‘Big Ben’ but amongst many others, the Liberty Bell. An American investment firm bought the premises but their application to turn it in to a boutique hotel is currently under review by the government. If you’re feeling peckish then Tayyabs, a family run Punjabi restaurant since 1972 is the go to curry house in the area for Londoners, despite a plethora of them on Brick Lane. 

For those with an interest in medical history, you should definitely check out the Royal London Hospital Museum. It's a fascinating and eclectic mix which among many other things includes a model of John Merrick's (the elephant man) skeleton who lived and died at the hospital in the late 19th century.

Tower Hill

Just south west of Whitechapel Road you’ll find the mighty Tower of London, a must visit London attraction which after 1000 years of history, needs no introduction. Whist there, make sure you pop in to the often over looked church of All Hallows by-the-Tower, which quite remarkably pre-dates the Tower by 400 years, has an intriguing museum (including some Roman floor) and a couple of historical titbits that Americans might find interesting. 

On the opposite side of the Tower you’ll find the serene St Katherine Docks, central London's only marina, where you’ll often find the Queen’s Royal Barge parked up, and then a bit further on, Wilton’s Music Hall; one of only two surviving Victorian music halls in London, which has shows on regularly. It’s a real delight.

Brick Lane

Brick Lane, running north from Whitechapel Road is just over half a mile long and on Sundays gets transformed so that every nook and cranny of the Old Truman Brewery which dominates the central portion gets turned in to a market of some form or another, whether it be street food, vintage clothes or people just selling stuff off the back of a lorry. It’s a vibrant and culturally diverse area and its rich migrant history is perhaps best encapsulated in the Brick Lane Jamme Masjid Mosque, which opened in 1743 as a Huguenot chapel, has been used as a Methodist chapel, a Synagogue and a Mosque. As such, it's an anomaly and stands on the corner of Fournier Street, lined with beautiful early 18th century houses and well worth a look.

The abundance of curry houses has waned slightly in recent years due to the extortionate business rates, but they’re not the only food people flock to Brick Lane for. At the Bethnal Green Road end are two famous 24-hour bagel shops which no-one ever seems to know the names of, but can tell you the colour of the facade of their favourite.  

Spitalfields

Old Spitalfields market which had been a fruit and veg market from 1637 until 1991 (when it moved further east) got cut in half by uber-architect Norman Foster and gentrified beyond belief. Still worth checking out the stalls of vintage wear and it’s lined with generic epidemic restaurants. Just outside is the famous Ten Bells pub, synonymous with Jack The Ripper as it was where he picked up his final victim, Mary Kelly.

If you're looking for a quirky, historical, under the radar museum, then look no further than Dennis Severs House at 18 Folgate Street; a time capsule of an 18th century weaving house.  

Shoreditch and Hoxton

Just north of Spitalfields and otherwise known as Hoxtditch, is the epicentre of hipsterdom. It’s where the cool kids go to get drunk, eat kebabs and throw up. Lots of bars, coffee shops and clubs. If you get a chance, do seek out Arnold Circus, a quiet enclave and the UK’s first council estate.If you're in the area on a Sunday, then a stop off at an east end institution, Columbia Road Flower Market will give you a real flavour of London life. You’ll find, in all these areas I’ve mentioned, LOADS of street art and it often feels like wandering around an open air art gallery. You can still see an original Banksy in the beer garden of gig venue Cargo on Rivington Street, amongst many others artists like Eine, Roa, Bambi, Thierry Noir and one of my favourites; the chewing gum artist, Ben Wilson.

I do regular Sunday morning ‘pay what you want’ tours around these areas most weeks, so please do get in touch if you’d like to join. 
Picture
Whitechapel Road & Brick Lane
Picture
Tower of London and All Hallows by-the-Tower
Picture
Brick Lane Jamme Masjid Mosque
Picture
Old Truman Brewery - Brick Lane
Picture
Wilton's Music Hall
Picture
Columbia Road Flower Market
Picture
Great Eastern Street - Shoreditch
Also in the series:

#00 - An Introduction
#01 - Old Kent Road
0 Comments

Hens & Other People

7/11/2012

1 Comment

 
On Saturday morning I had my second ever 'Hen Doo'. Due to logistical reasons, we did a different route from the usual Saturday morning walk and I met the ladies by Liverpool Street station for a walk around Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Shoreditch, an area positively oozing with history, character and street art.

I was very pleased that they turned out be a lovely, cordial, well behaved bunch (not what you hear about Hen parties), so thanks very much to Josephine, Karen, Gillian and co. Here they are in Corbett Place, nestling within the Old Truman Brewery, just off Brick Lane.
Picture
The Old Truman Brewery
In the afternoon I did my usual St Paul's to Monument walk and had a really nice group of ten people, mainly hailing from NORTH America (Jen), so basically a mix of Canadians, Americans, a couple of New Zealanders thrown in for good measure and Chang from Taiwan ... oh, yes and Mandy from South Africa (although she didn't sound remotely South African). There was even one English guy. 

Here they are in Borough Market, just to the south of London Bridge in the shadow of Southwark Cathedral.
Picture
It's quite strange, because I don't remember John there on the right, being quite that tall. Jeepers, he's turned in to a giant. 

Sundays walk got rained off, so I went to the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe instead. It's a tiny, slip of a museum inside the original engine house of Marc Brunel's '8th wonder of the world', the first ever tunnel in the world to go underneath a river, and the only project on which Marc and his son Isambard worked together. 

Although it's pretty small (only costs £3) they organise lots of events and guided tours and Madame Bowl Of Chalk informs me that on selected days you can go down in to the tunnel shaft and former subterranean grand entrance hall.
Picture
Brunel Museum - Rotherhithe
Some Awards

Group most unlikely to say 'Neil', 'Wedding' or ' Dress' -  Hen Party
Tallest - John (obviously)
Only one not to wear a coat - John
Best Moustache - No Winners
1 Comment

    Bowl Of Chalk

    Bowl Of Chalk based shenanigans. 

    Archives

    January 2023
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    May 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

    Categories

    All
    1666
    18th Century London
    Actor's Church
    Adelaide House
    Admiral Arthur Phillip
    A Friend In Rome
    Air Pollution
    Air Raid Precautions
    Air Raids
    Alfred Hitchcock
    All Hallows By The Tower
    All Hallows-by-the-Tower
    Anne Boleyn
    Anne Of Cleves
    Apothecaries' Hall
    Architecture
    Arnold Circus
    Bankside
    Banqueting House
    Barbican
    Battle Of Trafalgar
    Benjamin Franklin House
    Ben Jonson
    Ben Wilson
    Bermondsey
    Berry Bros & Rudd
    Best London Walking Tours
    Big Ben
    Blackout
    Blitz
    Blue Plaques
    Books On London History
    Borough Market
    Boulevard Theatre
    Bow Street
    Brick Lane
    Brick Lane Mosque
    Bridewell Theatre
    Britain's Smallest Police Station
    British Museum
    Brockley
    Bruce Castle Museum
    Brunel Museum
    Buckingham Palace
    Buenos Aires
    Bunhill Fields Cemetery
    Burlington Arcade
    C215 - Christian Guemy
    Cabmen's Shelters
    Camouflaged Buildings
    Canary Wharf
    Cardinal Wolsey
    Carnaby Street
    Chad Varah
    Chancery Lane
    Charles Barry
    Charles Dickens
    Charles Dickens Museum
    Charles Ii
    Charlie Chaplin
    Charterhouse
    Cheapside
    Chewing Gum Art
    Chinatown
    Christchurch Spitalfields
    Christchurch - Spitalfields
    Christiaan Nagel
    Christopher Wren
    Churchill War Rooms
    City Of London
    City Road
    Clarence House
    Clerkenwell
    Clet Abraham
    Clockmakers' Museum
    Columbia Road
    Coronavirus
    Courtauld Gallery
    Courtaulds
    Covent Garden
    Covid-19
    Cripplegate
    Criterion Restaurant
    Curiosities
    Curtain Road
    Cutty Sark
    Dan Cruickshank
    Daniel Defoe
    Day Trips
    Dead Man's Hole
    Dennis Sever's House
    Downing Street
    Dr Johnson's House
    Duke Of Buckingham
    Duke Of Wellington
    East London
    Edwin Landseer
    Eine
    Elizabethan London
    English Heritage
    Eros
    Euston Road
    Executions
    First World War
    Fleet Street
    Florence Nightingale
    Floris Perfumers
    Floris - Perfumers
    Fortnum And Mason
    Fossils
    Fournier Street
    Fourth Plinth
    Foyles
    Freemason's Hall
    Fun London Facts
    Gainsborough Studios
    Geffrye Museum
    Geoffrey Chaucer
    George Dance The Younger
    George Frederic Watts
    George Frideric Handel
    George Inn
    George Washington
    Gillian Wearing
    Golden Hinde
    Grant Museum Of Zoology
    GreatFire350
    Great Fire Of London
    Great Marlborough Street
    Greenpeace
    Greenwich
    Greenwich Foot Tunnel
    Grinling Gibbons
    Guide To London
    Guy's Hospital
    Ham House
    Hamleys Toy Shop
    Hampstead
    Hampton Court Palace
    Hand Drawn Map
    Handel & Hendrix In London
    Harry Potter
    Hatchards
    Henry Croft
    Heron Tower
    Hever Castle
    Hidden London
    Historical Fiction
    Historic House
    History Podcast
    HMS Belfast
    Hodge
    Horace Jones
    Horatio Nelson
    Horniman Museum
    Horse Guards
    Houndsditch
    Household Cavalry Museum
    Houses Of Parliament
    Hoxton
    Hoxton Hall
    Hoxton Square
    Hoxton Street Monster Supplies
    H.R Higgins - Coffee Man
    Huguenots
    ICA
    I Love London Town
    Inigo Jones
    Invader
    Italian Gardens
    Jack The Ripper
    James Bond
    James Parkinson
    James Thornhill
    Jewel Tower
    Jimi Hendrix
    Jimmy C
    John Lobb
    John Milton
    John Wesley
    Kaspar The Savoy Hotel Cat
    Kaspar - The Savoy Hotel Cat
    Kensington Palace
    King Charles I
    King Edward Ii
    King Edward Iii
    King George I
    King George Iii
    King George Iv
    King Henry Viii
    King James I
    King's Cross
    King's Head Theatre
    Knights Templar
    Leadenhall Market
    Leicester Square
    Lewisham
    Liberty London
    Lions
    Lloyds Of London
    Lock & Co Hatters
    Lock & Co - Hatters
    London Airports
    London Books
    London Bridge
    London Bridges
    London Cabs
    London Churches
    London Eye
    London For Visitors
    London Galleries
    London Guide
    London History
    London Map
    London Museums
    London Parks
    London Sculptures
    London's Dead
    London Shops
    London Skyscrapers
    London Statues
    London Street Names
    London Transport Museum
    London Trivia
    London Underground
    Lying-in-State
    Margaret Thatcher
    Marie Lloyd
    Mayfair
    Metropolitan Police
    Mews
    Middle Temple Hall
    Millennium Bridge
    Millicent Fawcett
    Monopoly
    Monopoly Guide To London
    More London
    Mudlarks
    Museum Of The Order Of St John
    Naomi Clifford
    National Gallery
    National Portrait Gallery
    National Theatre
    National Trust
    Nelson's Column
    New Bond Street
    New Zealand House
    Nicholas Hawksmoor
    No2 Willow Road
    Norton Folgate
    Old Bond Street
    Old Kent Road
    Old London Bridge
    Old Royal Naval College
    Old Street
    Old Truman Brewery
    Oliver Cromwell
    Oxford Street
    Pablo Delgado
    Painted Hall
    Pall Mall
    Parks
    Parliament Square
    Paternoster Square
    Paul Don Smith
    Paxton & Whitfield
    Pay What You Want Tours
    Pearly Kings & Queens
    Pentonville Road
    Piccadilly
    Piccadilly Circus
    Pitfield Street
    Places To Visit
    Platform 9 3/4
    Portland Stone
    Postal Museum
    Postman's Park
    Prince Albert
    Private Tours
    Private Tours In Rome
    Private Walks
    Pudding Lane
    Punch & Judy
    Queen Anne
    Queen Elizabeth I
    Queen's Funeral
    Queen Victoria
    Questions From London Tourists
    Quirky London
    Regent Street
    River Thames
    Roa
    Robert Peel
    Roman London
    Ronnie Scott's
    Ronzo
    Rose Theatre Bankside
    Rotherhithe
    Royal Academy Of Arts
    Royal Albert Hall
    Royal Courts Of Justice
    Royal Opera House
    Royal Warrants
    Rugby
    Rugby Union
    Rugby World Cup
    Rules Restaurant
    Russel Hoban
    Samuel Johnson
    Samuel Pepys
    Saxon London
    Sculptures
    Shad Thames
    Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
    Shops
    Shoreditch
    Shoreditch Park
    Silicon Roundabout
    Smithfield
    Soho
    Soho Square
    Soho Theatre
    Somerset House
    Sotherbys
    South East London
    Southwark Cathedral
    Spitalfields
    Spitalfields Life
    Stafford Hotel
    Statues
    St Bartholomew-the-Great
    St Bride's Church
    St Clement Danes
    St Dunstanintheeastca4d4776b9
    St Dunstan In The West
    St Etheldreda
    St Giles Cripplegate
    Stik
    St James's Palace
    St James's Park
    St Johns Gate57173442d0
    St John's - Smith Square
    St Katharine Docks
    St Katherine Docks
    St Martin-in-the-Fields
    St Mary Aldermanbury
    St Pancras Old Church
    St Paul's Cathedral
    St Pauls Cathedral
    St Peter Cheap
    Strand
    Street Art
    Stretcher Railings
    St Stephen Walbrook
    Suffrage Movement
    Sweet Toof
    Sydenham
    Tate Modern
    Telephone Box
    Temple Bar
    Temple Church
    Thames Barrier
    That Dam Guide
    The Actor's Church
    The Angel
    Theatre Royal Drury Lane
    The Birdcage
    The British Library
    The Cenotaph
    The Dickens Inn
    The Eagle
    The Foundling Museum
    The Hardy Tree
    The King's Wardrobe
    The Mall
    The Mayflower
    The Monument
    The Old Curiosity Shop
    The Old Operating Theatre
    The Photographer's Gallery
    The Ragged School Museum
    The Royal Institution
    The Shard
    The Spitalfields Trust
    The Ten Bells
    The Theatre
    The Tipperary
    The Wallace Collection
    Thomas Archer
    Thomas Barnardo
    Thomas Coram
    Thomas Crapper
    Thomas Farriner
    Thomas Sutton
    Time Out London
    Tour Guides
    Tours In Amsterdam
    Tower Bridge
    Tower Of London
    Trafalgar Square
    Tudors
    Twickenham
    Twinings
    Urban Geology
    Va27d30ae324
    V & A Museum
    Vhils
    Victorian London
    Victorian Music Hall
    Victoria Park
    Vine Street
    Visiting Rome
    Weekend Walks
    Wesley's Chapel
    Westland London
    Westminster
    Westminster Abbey
    Westminster Bridge
    When Cities Are Empty
    Whitechapel Bell Foundry
    Whitechapel Road
    Whitehall
    William Hogarth
    William & Mary
    William Shakespeare
    William The Conqueror
    William Waldorf Astor
    William Webb Ellis
    William Wordsworth
    Winchester Palace
    Windsor Castle
    Winston Churchill
    Women In History
    Women's Rights
    WWII
    Xylo
    Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
    Yeoman Warders
    York Watergate

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Weekend Walks
  • Private Tours
  • Corporate Walks
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Writing
  • Things Are Afoot